Automobile grading and ditching machine.



No. 688,156. Patented Dec. 3, l90l.

. m. a. BUNNELL.

AUTOMOBILE'GRADING AND DITCHINGMAGHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I,

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Nu. 688,l56. Patented Dec. 3, l90l. 'M. G. BUNNELL.

AUTOMOBILE GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

{Application filed Feb, :25, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

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. Patented Dec. 3, I90I.

No. 688N565. I

, III. E. BUNNELL.

AUTOMOBILE GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

:Application filed Feb. 25, 1901.) 7

(N0 ModeI.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

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rrnn STATES ATENT union.

AUTOMOBILE GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 688,156, datedDecember 3, 1901. Application filed February 25, 1901. Serial No.48,728. No model- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTON G. BUNNELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Automobile Grading and Ditching Machines, of which thefollowingis a full, clear,concise,and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that type of excavating-machines in which a plowis employed for tearing up the soil and in which the soil thus torn upis delivered to a belt conveyer, the conveyer being arranged todischarge the soil at one side of the line of travel and the machinebeing preferablydriven or propelled by steam.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide a self-propelledexcavating-machine which can be easily and conveniently operated andcontrolled, which can be driven forward with comparative certainty ofaction and involving certain features of improvement tending to increasethe general efficiency and to render a machine of this charactersatisfactory and serviceable.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists inmatters-hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steamexcavating-inachine embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 isa plan of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation ofthe same.

The boiler A can be of any suitable known or approved construction, butis preferably provided with a cylindric waist portion a and a fire-boxportion a. The traction-wheels B are arranged at either side of saidfire-box portion. An extension or platform a is preferably provided atthe rear of said boiler. The steering-wheels O are located below thisextension or platform and are controlled by the steering-gear D. Saidsteering-gear can be of any suitable form-as, for example, itmayconsistof a hand-wheel shaft (1, connected with the rear axle throughthe medium of worm-gearing cl and a chain d and preferably located,together with the seat E, at the righthand side of said platform.

The plow F is arranged, preferably, at the right-hand side of the waistportion of the "boiler, or, in other words, in rearof the righthandtraction-wheel. Swinging bars G can be employed forconnecting the plowwith the boiler. The chain I-I connects the forward bar with thefire-box. In this way the plow receives its draft from the forwardtractionwheels.

Any suitable device can be employed for raising and loweringthe plow.For-example, a shaft I, having a sleeve I, can be mounted in bearings Isecured to the boiler,and such shaft and sleeve can be connected,respectively, with the forward and rear ends of the plow-beam by meansof the chains 1 and 2. The rear ends of said shaft and sleeve areprovided with hand-wheels. The shaft and sleeve can be rotatedindependently of each other, and in this way the chains can be wound upor let out either separately or together, so as to either tilt the plowor raise or lower it bodily. It will be observed that the device thusprovided for adjusting the plow up and down is operable from the rearplatform.

The transversely-disposed belt conveyor J is arranged with its lower endin position to receive the dirt from the plow and to then carry the dirtand discharge it at the side of the machine. The conveyer can be of anysuitable construction, but preferably comprises the upper and lowerrolls j and j, a beltj and suitable framework, the latter beingpreferablyin two sections and jointed at 7' At this latter point are thesheaves j, which engage the lower portions of the brackets K, saidbrackets being secured to the boiler. Hand wheel shafts L and M aremounted upon the upper portions of said brackets, and a similarhand-wheel shaft N is mounted on the brackets 1 Ohains3connect the outerend of the conveyerwith shaft L, and similar chains 4 connect thejointed portion of the conveyer with shaft M. Chains 5 connect the lowerend of the conveyerwith shaft N. In this way the conveyer is suspendedby chains from adjusting devices operable from the rear platform.

The engine 0 can be of any suitable known or approved construction. Thesaid engine is preferably mounted upon the forward portion of theboiler. The traction-wheels B are driven from this engine through themedium of suitable gearing P. A throttle-valve Q is provided andpreferably arranged so as to be within reach of the attendant on therear platform.

Any suitable power-transmitting connection can be employed for drivingthe conveyer. Preferably, however, the conveyer is driven from theengine through the medium of gearingsuch, for example, as the sprocketsand chain 6 and 7 and 8, the bevel-gearing 9, and the sprockets andchain 10 and 11 and-12. The power-transmitting connection thus providedwill not interfere with the adjustments of the conveyer.

In operation the plow is lowered into the ground and the machine thendriven forward in the direction indicated by the arrow. Thetraction-wheels, which sustain the greater part of the weight, lead ortravel in advance of the plow and steering-wheels. \Vith thisarrangement the action of the plow will be steady and certain, thetraction being forward or in advance of the resistance. The machine isunder the complete control of the engineer or driver on the rearplatform. The fireman will occupy the forward platform B.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A'steam automobile grading andditching machine comprising an engine and boiler supported upon fronttraction-wheels and rear steering-wheels, a plow arranged in rear of oneof said traction-wheels, a conveyer arranged to receive'the soil fromsaid plow and to'discharge the same at one side of the machine, andpower-transmitting connections between the engine, traction-wheels andconveyer, substantially as described.

2. An automobile grading and ditching machine, comprising motive powersupported upon front traction-wheels and rear steeringwheels, a plow, aconveyer arranged to receive the soil from said plow and discharge theesaise same at one side of the machine, and powertransmittingconnections between the motive power, the traction-wheels and theconveyer, substantially as described.

3. An automobile excavator comprising a horizontal boiler supported byfront tractionwheels and rear steering-wheels, adjusting devices mountedupon said boiler, a plow and conveyer suspended from said adjustingdevices, an engine mounted upon said boiler, and power-transmittingconnections between the engine, traction-wheels and the conveyor,substantially as described.

4. A steam-excavator com prising a horizontal boiler provided at itsforward end with a fire-box and supported by front traction: wheels andrear steering-wheels, a plow arranged in rear of one of saidtraction-wheels, a belt conveyer hung from the waist portion of theboiler and arranged to receive the soil from the plow and convey anddischarge the same at one side of the machine, adjusting devices forraising and lowering the plow and conveyer and operable from the rearend of the machine, steering-gear operable also from the rear end of themachine, an engine mounted upon the machine, and power-transmittingconnection between engine, traction-Wheels and conveyer, substantiallyas described.

5. An automobile excavator consisting of a traction-engine having fronttraction-Wheels and rear steering-wheels, and having excavating deviceshung from the waist portion of its boiler, the machine being operatedand controlled from a platform arranged over said rear steeringwheels,substantially as de scribed.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this th day of February,A. D. 1901.

MORTON G. BUNNELL. Witnesses:

A. M. BELFIELD, HARVEY L. HANSON.

